The names of several local stores are still generally familiar with most area residents, but some of the names were arriving or departing for shoppers during the year 2003.
The ever-familiar Kmart was on a national downward slide, and customers knew it in Oneonta that year, as The Daily Star reported on Jan. 16, “The effect of Kmart’s departure was uncertain Wednesday, a day after the corporation announced the closing of more than 300 stores, including the one in the Southside Mall.
“A local Kmart manager said Tuesday the store at Southside Mall employs about 60 people. The Kmart in Sidney will remain open.” The Sidney store closed at the end of 2019.
While Kmart left Oneonta in 2003, two national chains announced plans to come to the area.
As Star readers learned on March 5, “Home Depot is planning to build a store on the Southside, according to site plans submitted Tuesday to the Town Planning Board.
“Pending approval, construction could start on a $3 million, approximately 80,000 square-foot store on the 10-acre lot between Hannaford Plaza and Main Street in May, according to Oneonta town Supervisor Duncan Davie.”
The news had hardly settled in when the very next day The Star reported, “As Home Depot prepares to build a new store … rumors say one of its competitors could move in just down the road.
“A Syracuse law firm representing Lowe’s Cos. Inc. contacted the town Wednesday about the possibility of building a home improvement store on state Highway 23.” Rumors ended the next day, as The Star reported Lowe’s was definitely looking at Oneonta. Both stores opened in 2004.
As national names were making news early that year, some local names announced changes. According to The Star of May 1, “Zim’s Shoes is closing after 55 years in downtown Oneonta.
“Owner Steve Zimniewicz, 58, said he made the ‘very emotional’ decision last week because he wants to retire and his lease expires the end of July.
“Zimniewicz’s father, Casimer, and uncle Walter moved from Glens Falls to Oneonta to open the store at 3 Dietz St. in May 1948. It moved to 147 Main St. in the mid-1960s and to its final location, across the street at 146 Main in 1978.”
The city’s last grocery store made plans to vacate, as The Star of Nov. 6 reported, “The search is on to find a replacement for P&C’s Chestnut Street location, less than a week after parent company Penn Traffic announced the store may close by mid-December.”
“Though local business and government officials said they’d like to draw some sort of development to the site, all said a grocery store would be ideal.” The former supermarket was eventually divided into a few storefronts at the corner of Church and Chestnut streets.
Another downtown icon of shoppers was making plans, as The Star reported on Dec. 10, “Ownership of the Bresee’s building, site of downtown’s former department store, is set to change hands next year, owner Marc Bresee said Tuesday.
“He said he would sign the final papers in late January with Maurice Ramos, a businessman from Glen Head, who may look into renting the Main Street front of the more-than-100-year-old building to other businesses.”
While the department store had closed in 1994, Bresee’s Kitchen, Bath & Furniture occupied the main floor and would continue at the site, renting space.
December 2003 was the same month that area residents were able to obtain some of the former department store’s props, signs and memorabilia.
Also seen in the Star’s Dec. 10 edition, “Like memories of the city’s long-time department store, the eclectic props … are going, going and soon to be gone.
“Standing in the Lettis Auction room Tuesday … Marc Bresee said the merchandise was only about 10 percent of what was stored in the building, but it’s also the best of it.”
This weekend, our area’s local life and times during January 1923.
Oneonta City Historian Mark Simonson’s column appears twice weekly. On Saturdays, his column focuses on the area before 1950. His Wednesday columns address local history 1950 and later. If you have feedback or ideas about the column, write to him at The Daily Star, or email him at simmark@stny.rr.com. His website is www.oneontahistorian.com. His columns can be found at www.thedailystar.com/opinion/columns/.